SUCCESS STORY: Two friends who hoped to be on the Biggest Loser work together to shed the pounds

Lyndee Underbakke and Molly Fairchild have been friends for years. So when Lyndee got engaged, there was no doubt Molly would be in her wedding.

“It started out as a quest for the dress,” says Lyndee.

As if the quest to find the perfect dress isn’t hard enough, it was that much more difficult for Lyndee and Molly because nothing fit.

“I was gonna have to lose something to be in the wedding,” says Molly.

Weight has been a problem for both women most of their lives.

“People talk about back when I was skinny, or their skinny jeans,” says Molly. “I don’t have those.”

The women knew it was finally time to do something about it. And they decided to do it together. They altered their diet and joined a gym, Aspen Athletic Club in Urbandale. They also hired personal trainer, Scott Kauffman.

“Okay, the first thing we’re gonna do is a sumo squat,” says Scott as he takes us through one of his workouts.

At first, workouts like this seemed impossible. Now Lyndee and Molly can’t wait to see what Scott will dish out next.

“I’m making sure the workouts change,” says Scott. “I want you to want to come into the gym.”

With Scott’s help, Molly and Lyndee have lost more than a hundred pounds and more than 80 inches. They post their successes and failures on a Facebook page, called “Send Lyndee to the ‘Biggest Loser Season Ten.'” They hoped it would help them make it on the show. Now, it serves as an outlet. They share how much they’ve lost, or gained, their workouts and their feelings.

“The Facebook page,” exclaims Molly. “Talk about accountability.”

They hoped it would draw a few hundred fans. At one point, more than 3,000 followed their updates.

None of this has been easy. Molly and Lyndee have had to break a lot of bad habits and learn some new, healthier ones.

“Our friends are great,” says Lyndee. “If they want to see us, we don’t go out to dinner, we go for a walk.”

The hard work is paying off in ways more meaningful than fitting into a dress. At Lyndee’s wedding last month, six months after they started their quest, the women beamed with confidence.

“It’s scary, but so exciting,” says Molly, who is noticeably trimmer.

They know they have a ways to go to meet their goal. But they also know, as they continue their quest, anything is within reach.